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Ghostbusters Spooktacular
Ghostbusters Spooktacular is a special effects show attraction located at Universal Studios Sacramento and formerly located at Universal Studios Florida which opened with the park in 1990 and was closed there in 1996 to make way for Twister...Ride it Out. It is located in the New York area of the park and features many characters from the films. Attraction summary Original version This version of the attraction was in operation during the early nineties for Florida version and late nineties for Sacramento version. Queue Guests queued through the outside of a soundstage where it was presumed that the Ghostbusters films had been shot. Then, they entered the building where the storyline would be revealed. Main show The show starts once everyone is seated. The lights go down in the room and a stage, behind a wall of glass, lights up. The stage turns out to be a recreation of the Temple of Gozer. Then a female tour guide comes out and starts to talk about the Ghostbusters franchise. She also begins to express her disbelief in ghosts. While she is talking Slimer, a ghost from the films, flies in and out behind her. Then a thunderous noise is heard and Gozer, along with other ghosts, appears. She starts to hurt the tour guide when suddenly the Ghostbusters theme song is heard and they come out to save the day. As they try to shoot her, Gozer does acrobatics across the stage. All of their shots miss and Gozer makes it back to the gates and says, “Your fate is sealed. Choose and perish!” Then the gates close. Suddenly from the right of the stage, the head of the Stay Puff Marshmallow-Man appears. He begins to roar as the Ghostbusters shoot him. He is then turned red hot and engulfed in smoke. Once he is completely gone, the tour guide reappears and she and the Ghostbusters thank everyone as they leave for the gift shop. Second version This version of the attraction is currently in operation in the Sacramento version and was in operation from the early nineties to the attractions closure in Florida version. Queue Guests queued outside a soundstage where a sign advertised a "Seminar Hosted by Louis Tulley Today." They then entered the building. Pre-show As you enter a small room you hear telephones ringing and a man saying, “Ghostbusters, Please Hold!” This man is Louis Tully, the junior assistant vice-president of finance for the Ghostbusters and a character from the films and says that you are here for the investment opportunity of a life time. Sometimes Louis makes a Ghostbuster joke that if customers do not pay, "You can release the ghost back into their house, it is even better than having to repossess cars!" He then proceeds to show a quick promotional commercial advertising Ghostbusters as the best job in the world, and afterwards picks three volunteers. The first one (usually a child) is given the task of holding a pink goo that is continually falling in his/her lap. The second one, usually a middle-aged man, is given a machine to put on his head that is supposed to read his mind. Then Louis tells the audience to look at the televisions again and on the screen is the man’s “thought”, which is him in a wedding gown. Other monitors sometimes would have the man's "thought" of him being kissed by two supermodels. And lastly there is a third one, usually a woman, is given the task of holding a piece of ghost hunting equipment that Louis grabs hold of and squirts the audience with. Then he blames the volunteer. After this Louis instructs the audience to move to the next room. Main show Once everyone is seated, Louis begins to show you some new products, which he introduces as Starter Kits #1, #2 & #3, ranging respectively from least expensive to most expensive. Starter Kit #1 is the basic equipment the Ghostbusters use, Starter Kit #2 has more advanced equipment, building up audience anticipation for Starter Kit #3, when unfurled looks just like Starter Kit #1, "but with pastel colors!" As Louis is talking he is interrupted by Walter Peck, a government agent (and a character from the first film), who says that he is shutting down Ghostbusters due to fraud and violations of the Environmental Protection Agency. Louis protests that Walter cannot shut down the Ghostbusters as they capture dangerous ghosts, and asks Walter and the audience if they believe in ghosts. Walter then asks the audience, "Ghosts? How ridiculous! How many of you believe in the federal government?" usually prompting the audience to boo and jeer Walter Peck. As Walter tries to shut it down Louis gets him to look the other way and Louis turns the lights off. In the darkness, a ghost appears telling Walter Peck to run away, but it is revealed to be just Louis controlling a fake ghost simulation. Walter, not being easily deceived, flips back on the lights and tells Louis he is shutting them down now. He walks over to a flight of stairs, as Louis trails behind, and flips a giant switch which unlocks the ghost containment area and sets off blazing sirens. Then suddenly he is in through a door. After this a stage behind and above the aforementioned stage lit up and turned out to be a recreation of the Temple of Gozer. As Walter explains how he does not believe in ghosts, many ghosts (including Slimer) flash behind him. Then a thunderous noise is sounded and Gozer appears at the top of the temple gates. He begins to attack Walter when the Ghostbusters theme song begins to play and they (along with Louis) come out to save the day. As they try to shoot at Gozer and the other ghosts they miss every time and Gozer makes it back to the gate doors. Before she leaves she says, “Your fate is sealed. Choose and perish!” As they try to figure out what just happened, the head of the Stay-Puft Marshmallow-Man appears and begins to roar. As they shoot him he turns red and is engulfed in smoke that cover the entire stage and pours out into the audience. Moments later the Ghostbusters reappear and say thank you as Walter, now covered in melted marshmallow, yells at the Ghostbusters. They then leave for the gift shop. Gift shop The gift shop for the attraction titled Paranormal Store sells various Ghostbusters merchandise including action figures from the 1980's Real Ghostbusters franchise. History The Florida's attraction opened with the park on June 7, 1990 while the Sacramento's attraction opened with the park on Jun 3, 1997. In 1993 for Florida and 2001 for Sacramento, it was given a large revamping, which included an added pre-show. The attraction in Florida version closed on November 9, 1996. The Florida version's closing ceremony was attended by members of the Ghostbusters film. The Florida's soundstage became the home of Twister...Ride it Out two years later. It is unknown if Universal Studios Florida will ever bring back the Ghostbusters as well as a new version of the old special effects show that used to operate at the park. It was very popular in Florida while it was still in operation. On November 7, 2008, Sony Pictures Entertainment announced that among other things, the Ghostbusters franchise was licensed as a theme park attraction to commemorate with the film's 25th anniversary. Universal Studios Orlando's website also lists Ghostbusters as a licensed property, with a renewal date of 2007. Homages As a tribute to the Florida version of the attraction in a firehouse window in Twister: Ride It Out's queue is an ad for a Paranormal Travel Agency. Category:Attractions Category:Shows Category:Live Shows Category:Special Effect Shows Category:Ghostbusters Category:Universal Studios Florida Category:Universal Studios Sacramento